5 Gardening Tips for the Month of April

The month of April is a great time to get outdoors and get the garden ready for next month’s planting. I suggest waiting until the garden is thoroughly dry before doing any work to prevent compacting the soil. While waiting for the soil to dry, start your seeds indoors and then head out to clear and till your garden beds.

Tip #1: Clear All Garden Beds

It’s important to clear all garden beds of leaves, branches and debris to allow sunlight to penetrate the soil. This helps warm soil temps, making the ground workable for next month’s planting.

Tip #2: Till Dry Garden Beds Only

If the soil has adequately dried, go ahead and till it. If it’s still wet - probably so at the beginning of April - wait to till until the end of the month for the best results. Dry soil is much easier to work.

Tip #3: Till in Amendments

Again, wait until the soil is dry and till in finished compost or composted manure to give garden beds a boost of nutrients. A few inches is all that is typically needed to replenish the nutrients soaked up during the last growing season. Follow my compost guide on how much compost to add to the garden.

Tip #4: Start Seeds Indoors

In the north, the general rule of thumb is to start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks, sometimes 8-10 weeks for long-season vegetables, before the last scheduled frost. If you haven’t already, get your seeds started now. 

Tip #5: Turn Compost Piles

Don’t forget to give your compost pile some much needed attention after a long winter. Turn it over to allow air to circulate and the sun to reach the areas that are still frozen. April is the time to think about starting a new compost pile for the season or continue to add scraps to last years.

What will you be doing in your garden this April? 

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